2026 UTME Begins Nationwide as Over 2.2 Million Candidates Sit JAMB Examination
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.
The examination, organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), is scheduled to run from April 16 through April 22, with multiple sessions conducted daily.
Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to uphold the highest standards of commitment and professionalism, noting that the overall success of the UTME is largely dependent on their efficiency and dedication. He gave this directive during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the exercise.
He further commended staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in ensuring the smooth conduct of the mock examination.
Oloyede explained that most of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to inadequate assessment of centres by certain technical officials.
He also disclosed that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that demonstrate outstanding performance, particularly in the prompt handling of examination materials and timely submission of reports.
Reaffirming JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice, he cautioned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
The registrar noted that advanced technology, including biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems, has been deployed to protect the integrity of the examination process.
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He added that candidates whose biometric data could not be verified would be rescheduled to take the examination at designated centres approved by the board.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent who monitored proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session slated for 8:30 a.m. commenced at approximately 8:40 a.m.
